Welcome to our weekly poetry stars’ celebration. This week’s challenge was to write our choice of a syllabic poem using a form from the cheat sheet or a syllabic form from the Poetscollective.org inspired by the image below:

Artist: Edgar Degas (French, Paris 1834–1917 Paris)
Date: 1899 via https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/459097
Many thanks to everyone who joined in below:
1. | Reena Saxena | 9. | Cheryl | 17. | Jane Aguiar |
2. | ladyleemanila | 10. | D. L. Finn | 18. | Yvette M Calleiro |
3. | ben Alexander | 11. | Jules | 19. | s. s. |
4. | Selma | 12. | Balroop Singh | 20. | roberta Eaton Cheadle |
5. | Annette Rochelle Aben | 13. | theindieshe | 21. | sally cronin |
6. | Gwen Plano | 14. | Ruth Klein | 22. | D. Wallace Peach |
7. | willowdot21 | 15. | Kerfe | 23. | You’re next! |
8. | Jude | 16. | Colleen Chesebro |
There was so much excellent poetry this week! Make sure to read:
Annette Rochelle Aben‘s poem which used the names of flowers to connect to the dancers.
Gwen Plano‘s poem is dedicated to Spring!
It was hard to choose, but I think D. L. Finn’s haibun, called “The Light” brought out the personalities of Degas’ Russian Dancers. I got goosebumps!
THE LIGHT
The women walk quietly to the field as the war erupts around them. Fields that once held abundant crops were withered death under their comrade’s blood. The cities, once teeming with commerce and progress, are reduced to rubble, while its people hide underground or fight in the streets. Hope is dim as these women’s voices are raised in song. They begin the sacred dance handed down through the generations for just this moment when hate and fear were the only options. The fighting rages on as their song grows, and a faint sparkle of joy moves into their feet and fills their bodies. They are the light in the darkness.
gift from ancient times twirls in pink, blue, and yellow healing dance of love © D. L. Finn

This week, I’ve asked Denise to choose the photo or Ekphrastic image prompt for next month’s challenge. Please email your words to me at least a week before the challenge to colleen@wordcraftpoetry.com. Thanks.
See you tomorrow for the new challenge!
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Annette and Gwen amazing entries, and Denise your Haibun is so inspiring! Ladies you give us all something to strive for, well done everyone indeed we all did amazingly this week.
As always thanks to Colleen for all her hard work.
💜💜💜🌷
My greatest pleasure is writing poetry with you all! ❤️
I definitely one of mine too 💜
Thank you, Willow 🙂
Always a pleasure 💜
Wonderful responses. Congrats to Gwen, Denise, and Annette. 💕🙂
Everyone did an excellent job. ❤️
Thanks, Harmony 🙂
Brava to Denise for her inspiring haibun!
She did a great job! ❤️
Indeed she did!
Thank you, Liz 🙂
You’re welcome, Denise.
I think I read all of them, Colleen, and Denise’s was surely a stand-out. Thanks to you and Selma for the prompt. It evoked some powerful poetry. I’m looking forward to Denise’s image. 🙂
Thanks, Diana. I loved Denise’s haibun. It was a stunner! ❤️
Thanks, Diana 🙂
Yes, a powerful group this week. (K)
Everyone did a fabulous job with the painting. <3
What beautiful poetry and I love Denise’s haibun! ❤️ Finally, I figured out how to switch Eclectic Brew to FSE! I am still tweaking it here and there and hopefully, I can get back to writing poetry! 😄
Ok. Send me the link again, so I can add it to my list. I’m merging my author blog with Word Craft because I can’t keep both up. It’s just too much work. I’m thinking of going back on WP.org with the business plan. <3
Here’s the link. https://amanpan.wordpress.com
It took me forever to get it to look like a blog. It wasn’t so hard as it was time consuming and I am not thrilled with the results. Good luck with going back to the business plan. ❤️
I’ll keep you posted. Thanks so much Franci. ❤️
Please do and I am switching it back until FSE has more to offer. Now that I know I can easily switch, no worries.
That’s good to know. I’ll have to play with FSE and see what I can get it to do. 😂❤️
I spent hours and couldn’t get the results I was expecting. I even found a FSE theme that had 2 columns! Now that I know how to switch, I’ll try it again in the future.
I tried one of the free FSE themes but it’s not what I want. The themes are lacking in my opinion. I’m not impressed.
Thank you, Eugenia 🙂
You’re most welcome.
I love your choice, Colleen. Denise’s piece touched me!
She did a wonderful job. I loved it too, Jan. <3
Thanks, Jan 🙂
Wonderful contributions Colleen and particularly as you highlight from Annette, Gwen and Denise ♥
Thanks, Colleen 🙂 Congrats to Annette and Gwen.
You are so very welcome. <3
Congratulations, Denise! Her poem was one of my favorites as well. 😊
It was so good. Thanks so much, Yvette. <3